


nail polish, trans blues, and brotherly advice

by KinWrites



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Trans Keith (Voltron), broganes, past transphobia, supportive lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 08:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13923078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KinWrites/pseuds/KinWrites
Summary: in which lance paints keiths nails and keith has a break down. Shiro's a good brother.





	nail polish, trans blues, and brotherly advice

I hum softly dragging the little brush over my nails, leaving streaks of blue, and singing Troye Sivan under my breath. Being the only one in the dining room is a little odd for me, too used to the noise of everyone else being around.  
The doors swish open and Keith staggers in, looking very much like he’d just woken up with his hair in disarray and his shirt on backwards. I smirk at him, “Hey mullet, shirts backwards.”  
Keith squints at me before blinking down at his shirt and frowning. “Why?”  
I laugh softly getting up and crossing the room to my boyfriend and cupping Keith’s cheeks gently. “Did you sleep at all last night honey?”  
Keith blinks slowly at me, eyelashes fluttering, before stepping forward and burying his face in my neck, arms curling around my waist sleepily. I sigh and pull him closer to my chest, careful of my still wet nails as I rub gentle circles into his back. “Wanna sit with me while I paint my nails?”  
Keith hums quietly in response pressing closer to me contently. “mmk, don’t paint my nails though.”  
I grin into his hair, “Of course not love.”  
Guiding him over to where I’d been sitting on the couch I push him gently, letting him fall back onto the couch and dropping a blanket over him. He mumbles incoherently and curls up, hands reaching for me. I sigh and sit on the floor in front of him, guiding his arms around my shoulders. “Okay?” He shifts to bury his face in the back of my neck nodding softly humming. I laugh softly and lift his hand to press kiss against his palm before going back to painting my nails.   
Once all my nails are very blue. Blue as the ocean is deep, it makes my chest ache with longing. I miss my family, i miss the oceans back home, back on earth. I miss earth. Keith’s hand twitches on my chest and i cover his with my own, squeezing gently. I hum and eye the red nail polish that had come in the set. I knew keith had said not to paint his nails, but if i did he would match red!   
Moving slowly I pick up the red nail polish and fold my leg up so I can rest keith’s hand on my calf. Shaking the bottle I uncap it and grin, still good. Slowly I begin dragging the brush over keith’s nails, leaving streaks of bright red. Keith stirs and i freeze, his face nuzzles further into my neck and he settles. I breathe a sigh of relief, not awake then.  
Continuing to spread red polish over keith's nails I still when the door swishes open, Shiro pausing and quirking a brow at me. “Are… Are you painting Keith’s nails?”  
I shush him quickly before whispering. “He’s asleep, and yes I am. He’s gonna match red.”  
Shiro nods and slowly backs out of the room. Probably for the best Keith was probably not going to be happy when he woke up. 

\-----------------------------------------------

I woke up slowly, blinking up at the ceiling of the lounge. Why was I awake? Sitting up i rub at my eyes and look around, no Lance. That solved why I was awake at least. Reaching up I shuffle a hand through my hair before looking at my nails wondering why they felt so weird. And promptly froze, bright red polish coated my nails. Dysphoria claws its way up my throat, making it hard to breathe, hard to think past blinding red. My foster mother’s word echo through my mind, “You’re not a boy, boys don’t paint their nails, or wear makeup, and boys especially don’t have long hair.”  
My pulse hammers in my throat and it feels like I can't breathe. Panic claws at my throat and I don't notice when the door swishes open. The couch in front of my dips with someone's weight and I scramble back until heavy hands grip my shoulders gently, “Keith? Keith hey it's okay what's wrong was it a nightmare?”   
My head shakes harshly, “Why would he do this to me?”  
Shiro frowns, “Who?”  
“Lance. he- he painted my nails i'm not a fucking girl okay!”  
Shiro’s frown deepens and he lifts a hand to run through my hair. “No one said you were a girl.”  
I shake my head again rapidly, “Only girls paint their nails Shiro! I can’t have nail polish everyone's gonna think i'm lying about being a boy!”  
Shiro grabs the nail polish remover from the table and douses a cotton ball. “Lance and Hunk paint their nails all the time they aren't girls.”   
My teeth worry at my lower lip as Shiro drags the cotton ball over my nails. He’s right, Lance and Hunk did paint their nails all the time. I just, I couldn’t do it. I’d gotten over the hair thing but I couldn’t do my nails.   
The room quiets after a bit as my breathing evens out. “Lance is gonna be upset.”  
Shiro pauses and blinks up at me. “About your nails?” I nod and Shiro sighs. “I’m sure once you explain what happened he won’t mind at all. Actually he's probably going to feel horrible knowing him. He’s on a mission with Hunk right now though so you’ve got time to calm down and think things through. I know you aren’t out to him yet.”  
I take a deep breath, feel my ribs expand beneath my binder and nod. “I’m gonna have to come out to him aren't I? Then he’s gonna hate me and wanna leave.”  
Shiro pauses in his work removing the nail polish and frowns at me. “You really think Lance is going to react like that? Keith, that boy loves you more than anything in this universe as the next. I guarantee you he isn’t gonna mind.”  
I sigh softly, “Yeah...yeah you’re right. I’m just, nervous. “  
Shiro nods and finishes getting the nail polish off my nails before ruffling my hair gently. “It’s okay bro. He’s not gonna mind, he didn’t when the team found out about me, or Pidge did he?” I shake my head no and he smiles. “There, see he won’t mind.”   
I take a deep breath and nod, “Thanks Shiro. I’m gonna go lay down for a bit; maybe sharpen my bayard.” Shiro nods and I leave to my room.

\--------------------------------------

By the time Lance gets back from his mission my blades have been polished enough that they’re not entirely dissimilar to mirrors and sharp enough that if you so much as touch the edge it’ll cut you. My hair's a wreck from running my hands through it in my nervousness and there’s a fine tremble to my hands. I've been staring at the ceiling from my place sprawled across the floor for at least thirty minutes, mind swimming with self doubt and what if’s. What if Lance leaves? What if Lance decides this is too much and realizes I’m not actually that great? Realizes that there’s plenty of people out there better than me.   
I force myself to pause, take a deep breath. Lance wouldn’t do any of that. Lance loved me and like Shiro said earlier, he hadn’t cared when him and Pidge came out, he wouldn’t care when I came out. I was still Keith, still part galra, still Lance’s boyfriend. It’d all be fine.  
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice the door whooshing open and Lance stepping in, looking equal parts scared and worried. Lance stills in the doorway and bites his lip watching me. My arms flailing about before tugging my hair harshly. “Keith?”  
I jolt and flail, shooting upright and blinking at Lance. “L-lance!”  
He bites his lip harshly and looks away, “S-sorry, I-” He pause and takes a deep breath, wringing his hands in front of him. “Uh, Shiro told me… about the nail polish and that you were really upset about it and I’m really sorry I just thought it’d be cool if you matched Red and I promise I’ll never do it again and please don’t leave me I’m so sorry I’m a horri-” In the time that he had been rambling I’d stood up, crossed the room to him, and was now kissing him. Soft, gentle movements coaxing him to relax.  
“Can I talk now?” He nods swallowing thickly, tears glimmering in his blue eyes. “You didn’t know I’d react like that, and yes I did ask you not to but you were trying to be really sweet and get me closer to Red and I appreciate that even if it didn’t really work. I’m not breaking up with you, not ever.” I pause and lick my lips, anxiety curling in my gut once more. “But, there is something I need to tell you and I’m scared you might look at me differently from now on.”   
Lance cups my cheek gently shaking his head, “Whatever it is you’re still Keith and I’m still gonna love you.”  
I smile softly and lean into his palm for a minute before taking a deep breath. “I’m a trans man.”  
Lance blinks at me, “Is that all that was bothering you?” At my nod he pulls me into his chest, I go willingly. He’s always so warm. “Oh love I will never think differently of you because of that okay?” I nod and I feel his lips press against the top of my head gently. “Wanna cuddle?”  
I smile against his chest and nod, “Yeah, that sounds perfect.”


End file.
